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H h it>- 11 ct i.’ tl-i « ccnta a line.sdi tn«" 1 lon.
H-i-i :--,%•>; .1 -Yill 1,.- < .'iai/c-1 tl.irt) < m,'» . f-r e»<
B“ .r.,t i • M'l, 1 Not;- : - 1 ' - A-.llor. <■
■ ><•«> »»* N'-.trri f-itty c.t-tit per l!-u titn-rtloo i.l
I"! I —IV. • < W.y. Wl-.t til i"';-!-, I
B, Unit) tu -1 VVn-Vly-irtxty rent., per iI.
Hhiai.i. t.ii: ihhh.i“ r *in*tH uk tlx
the liill repealing the exemption of
|- -foil. l who hail I>ttt Mih-iitatr.s into the
f,< 1 "■ f• ■i• ■ til.* (Nil!.- s>u;»t'! a I -■-•>
Oil* i1 - -1: -.i11.-- 111.-1 t: I ■■ ■! .
< I r. of South ( irolin.t 1 j 11 , -1 j - >:i- • 1 il
i'i.| iiiLi m it. -1 tliai lie- C >urts <>f the
lirglit i 11 1 e-rt'. ru with its i.p.-rali
Wat 11 ' 1 i<• kly answered by Mr Cl.nk, <-f
H " win, gave Hu* Sen.'it *1 1" Hli'i' r-Ulcl
after the hill li.nl become 1 a law, steps
I l> - tak. a to remove the whole matter
■ :il Uie jurisdiction of [the Courts. Ilia
wm Ih it. t’on g roe-' would. in lii- judg
K. mi,'ip- I). 1 the operation of the habeas
Bus ael mi fii an it ivfcrri .1 to j 0 his 1 ham
■H e.MiPii|ition 11 him service on tile jr. 1,11 m! <it
employed subslil'iles. In conformity
Mr. I'lhi h's intiniatinn, we notice Hint Mr.
■inn, of Mississippi. Ii is intr<.hoee.l into the
■ , bill 1., -u p-iI, in certain eases, the
of Uie habeas corpus net.
m sine,-iely 1 10;.- th it there ;tu- ini MHgene.o
patriotism enough in Congress to re-ista
wliie'i we boli.". e to be not only tin
jflUary but arbitrary nndjle-p itic. We liave
etiril much said upon tbu null ago oil cimstitu
onal lights, committed by ibo Lincoln Gov-
in <!*• j/ri v in t!i< i • ciiiz n,» of the
■cnclil nf trial by tbo laws of lire land. Aiv
Hi' mm to l».; gml'y of tin* m.uii.' wrong ‘ I hi;
of Hin li n bill as Mr I'll.'l l.; [iioJu'Si'h
obji cl.'nniibli; on TiiximiH grounds :
tM I Hi. 11 i 111 |i|il'S 11 • Mllll ill till' mi Hi lof Coll;; IT!. s
Hi In the C'»n.slilnLion;\lily nf law which
Hm bi ■i■ 11 |i iih'l ill relation In Hiib.il.il n I i-H. II til
lull'll III" usual rot'luli'iii'e in tin: legal it i
tin: proceeding, it w.mlil not. li.ivo been
Hii'-I ary t" IVir.rst.il 1 by pn Hutu mn\ n pi nee.--
■u ooltiilry. It is equivalent to s«\ in; “Wr
ml tli.it vvn li ui> linnsi-i• inii- 1 t In: I'nin;
of legislators in Ibis mutter, blit we do
int.'inl to have tho v.ilblily ol out'action
in 1111 t*sI ion, unit wo hIi.iII, t'leiol'oie,
down Ibo only arm wbioli can boos
iiilv i.ii.ii • 1 against us." Will Hi.* people
■n .1 is j> >hoi| to sub hi t iininuninn ingly to a I iw
iitiib'r Hiirli circumstances ?
H-M Tin' tHii.-.|ii*iisi«i-i of lb" linin',in ooi'i'im not,
Hoil'l imply ;i coii.surn of tbo Judiciary of the
Hogislntivc bnim li of the i fovmimii-iit lias not
nt noio: >. n. i bo .Imlioiaiy t i roly
it for tho endorsement ol 11 lore measures
Bvliich am deemed onsi'iitial to tlio public good.
Bn fid* ooiiHiiro deserved? • llavo tbo courts of
»fhn ooimtiy any wh.'re embarrassed tbo opera-
H«n« of tlio government since this rovolntion
••minenced * Did not the Supreme Court of
thin State, event whilst tint Chief Magistrate of
♦ lie State pronounced it nnooiislitiitional, huh
hin the Conscript law ? lluvo not all our
Court#, ho far as public decorum would nt all
permit, accepted the doctrine pernicious
tHongb it be —inter anna leges silent ? And w liy
mew should there be. auy distrust even by im
plication of the soundness of our 1
Sd. The suspension■ of the liabeas corpus
would deprive the bill repealing the exemption
of men who have substitutes in the army of
that moral support which it would derive from
Hie sanction of (he courts. Wo have no doubt
If tl io habeas corpus act is not suspended that,
the legality ot the former bill will very soon be
tealed before some authorised tribunal. Alter
the earnest recommendation of tlio measure by
the President and its nearly unanimous adop
tion by the Senate and the strong majority in
tie favor in the Lower House, we veiy much
doubt whether any respectable court would
give an opinion against the law. (>n the ground
»fa great public necessity a necessity which
tbo guardians of our rights judges to have an
existence- were there no other consideratiohs
#omtraining, them—they* would sustain the
nrMon of their co ordinate associates in the gov
ernment. Tlie n ensures thus sanctioned would
present, to the people a law which had secured
(he concurrence of the whole government. It
would be recoin mended by all the weight which
<*onhl come from Legislator, Executive, and
ffflilge. Opposition would be quelled. Even
efimplaint must be repressed in (lit* presence of
•nch a union. There would bo none of that
jpvnnd for dissent which would be invited
should the bill touching the habeas corpus now
before the House become a law.
Tim Nbxv Yankee President. —The New
York Herald of a late date hoists the name of
r. fe Grant for the next President of the dis
united States. That journal also has a long,
idvambtlug biography of this general In which
ft f» proven to tho satisfaction of the writer
that Grant is a native Scotchman. Bennett,
being a Caledonian, is anxious to claim affinity
with the huge Ulysses. Grant's late advantage
at Chattanooga lias gained him this distinction.
Lot u \ ankeo general achieve a military suf
fers, and forthwith ho is brought forward as
a candidate for a four years residence at the
IThito House. McClellan, Burnside, Hooker,
Fepe and Meade it either of them had won a
victory, the Northern Press would have been
anxious to make him a President at onoo. The
next time l lyases gets a sound thrashing they
will throw him overboard as remorselessly as
they*would a ric.ul dog. lie will be of no further
use to them. % The question will then recur,
“Who is to bo the next victim to Northern
polirteal ambition ?" •
Perseverance.— In some characteristics we
may profit by tho example of even our ene
luies. Ihey exhibit most astonishing perse
verance. Whatever they set about, they work
at with the persistent energy ; they do not
tire ; they follow Lincoln’s lacouic advice and
keep “pegging away - .” Buffeted, beaten, foil
ed, scattered, they nilly again with a spirit the
most unyielding. Knock them down and they
are on their feet again like a cat. It is this in
domitable quality of perseverance which, were
h more general among our own people, would
have a wonderful effect in aiding our cause.
Do not despair if your first efforts are not
cro vned with success: whether in military or
civil occupations, have the idea of winning
and none other, perpetually in view ; with a
stout arm. a brave heart, and a firm will, lo !
almost before you are aware, the goal will be
;(*< hed and tho triumph achieved.
Condition or Northern Virginia. — A cor
respondent of the New York News, presents a
sail picture of the ruin an 1 desolation now e&
isting in Northern Viiginit. He says:
It I should present a sail picture of the des
olation now reigning over a region which three
yen-, ago was fertile, peaceful, blooming and
ha; ;>y the reader need not suppose that it is
ovt;Urawn r.r too highly-colored. Alas! there
are lew pen capable ol giving additional slui
n' -s to the drea y desolation prevailing on eve
iy side from one end to tlio other of the road
upon which it is my province to travel almost
daily.
A' several points wc come upon a blackened
rm>> of bii< ks, stones an i roof trees. In their
vicinity may he seen neglected fruit trees,once
r.ttntchard, and a cluster of oak and cedar,
once and! uiljng so de and shelter, to a pleasant
lioirie. Here and th re along the roadside a
lew nils t. li e dwellings may In- seen, inhabit
ed by oi l men, Wumeu, and children, all ap
p. r. n l as irn-eiuble and dilapidated as the
poor huts they occupy.
At bail fax Court House, yery few of the old
redden s rem'in, and veiy few of the houses
lea n their old appearance. .Some are window
los. .v uie doorlehs, seme rootless, same lloor
le -, and some have disappeared altogether.
It was at one time the residence of some of
t a elite of 'ti«‘ Mate hut it is such no more.
■ Mary ot tiie old hatii ues now coining there
j won .1 scare !y rec-oguize in the dismantled
[ 1 iOu-a , conit house and churches, their former
happy home.
At C ntreville, the houses on the oast side of
the hill have alt disappeared while those still
remaining on till west side have been in part
and -moli.ii U, and what remains ure occupied as
edi-eis’ quarters sutleis’ i-tore* and pie bak
eries lu ihe plain, west of the heights, sev
eral comfortable dwellings were standing some
months ’ since, but they aie not inert) now.
The cause ot their absence may be accounted
for by the presence ol so many of our forces.
Not a vestige of Mnassas Junction remains
There is not a military house remaining. Half
a mile east of the site of Ihe village stands a
brick house the only building 1 have seen near
the place,'and it has neither doors nor windows.
Tim tine tieos that were there when the place
was inhabited have ail passed away. In
mounds and in some low places, moss-covered
stones, scattered bricks and perhaps a black
ened i alter, mark the sight of a destroyed
dwelling ; yet few of these remain now. The
tottering chimneys and crumbling
stood there a year ago, mourning over the des
olation t iey tiad witnessed, have all fallen a
prey, to the soldiers, by whom they were ap
propriated, and used in the construction of
mgs ami hr places. No human face is to be
seen, save those belonging to persons connec
ted in some way with t e army. Goldsmith's
brilliant imagination never could have pictured
to him a scene nf greater desolatian.
At Bristow's Station there is not a house
standing. Walls, chimneys, roof tl,ees, and
even foundations, have disappeared.
At Catlett’s (Station there is one frame hottsc
remaining, said to he occupied by an old man
from whom the station takes its name
At Warrenton Station, devastation has done
Lis villainous work. Houseless and tentless, it
is as dreary a spot as one could easily imagine.
Jieulton Station was at one time considered
a town, hut, like many other terrestrial things,
it—the town has passed away forever.
Rappahannock Station, is now a bleak and
dreaiy spot, though at one time it possessed
beamy.
'The country between the points mentioned
does not possess many features different from
those noticeable in the places described. The
same absence of population, tlio same wreck,
ruin and dhsolntiotl arc visible on all sides No
fences, no houses, no evidence of cultivation
no, nothing lan barren fields, crumbling ruins
and deserted holms, to bo seen anywhere.
Many long years must pass before Virginia, or
at least the portion of it in question, can again
bwimm tut. quiet tiorac of peace, industry and
contentment.
It is over scenes of tlio kind described by the
News’correspondent that Lincoln and his blood
thirsty advisers and fai.atical followers g oat.
It is in such scenes that they take delight. De
vastation, rapine, and murder have followed in
the wake of the Federal army wherever it has
marched. The more brutal and inhuman the
acts of the commanding officer, the more popu
lar he app ears to be at Washington, and with
the presses and followers of the despot who now
sways the destinies of the North. Lincoln is
now doing his best to ruia the balance of our
lair land. If he accomplishes his foul and tiend,
‘sit purposes no one will be to blame but our
own people. Mismanagement and lukewarm
ness has caused the reverses of the past, and
they will cause reverses in tiro future, if we do
not improve from the experience we have al
ready had. There is only one plain path for all
to pursue, if we wish to stop the further advance
of the Federal invader. That is simply this—
the path of duty. Let the same feelings actu
ate now every one. that, actuated them when
the present levol .tion commenced, and all will
be well hereafter. "
Cukap Generation ok Steam. —Some months
since, the Federal Navy Department appointed
a commission of three Chief Engineers of the
Navy to investigate, by actual experiment, the
pr.cess of using as luel hydtf cat bon oils for
the generation of steam This commission
made a senes 11 careful ex| eriments, extending
o or a | cried of five months, which have
proven s tligl'aetory. From their re|mrt we ex
tract the following :
In the experiments under eonsideratlo"'. the
volume of dune was so treat as to pass entire
ly through the tubes of the boiler, and heat
the smoke ; ipe red hot lor several feet from
the base, in eo isequence of which tiie maxi
mum amount of combustion and evaporation
was not reached in the use of petroleum. The
evaporation in favor ot the petroleum was 103
per cent, as shown by the report ; the same
boiler being useiLwith the best anthracite coal,
and and r precisely the same condition.
The time of generating steam from water of
equal temperature to twenty pounds pressure |
above th" atmosphere, was. for the oil an
vrerago ol 28 minutes, and for the coal, six'™
minutes ; or in favor of the oil. 1143 per e ..lit.
The time for the complete cxtinguishim jn t of
the fire, in tbo use of the oils, was at JOU t
seeouds. One of the Federal ironclads or navai
steamers, by its successful use as,su ggested in
the experiments so Mr as tried, wo aid be eua
bled to keep the sea under steam two or three
times as long, with less labor ar,i greater con
venience. "K compared with the use of coal,
equal weights of each o' a hoard being con
si lered.
The Baltimore American says these advan
tages. as set forth - lM \iij s report are very great,
and no doubt a complete revolution in the
mode of gen erating steam will be the result.
We understand that a company is now King
formed in New York, with the intention of
purchasing a first class sea going steamer, to
apply at oner this invention, with the view to
bung the matter fully before the public.
Analysis or the Tax Law in Congress.- -The
Richmond Examiner gives the annexed analy
sis v f the tax law now being discussed in sexTet
session in Congress :
It is known that Congress is now maturing,
in secret session, a l«i!l to levy taxesrfor thesup
port of Government. This bill has come from
the Special Committee on Currency. Its fa
tures may be briefly but reliably stated. Its
purposes a 'ax of twenty per cent, ou all agri
cultural products: wheat, corn, tobacco, naval
stores, provisions, cloths, and. generally, all
articles which may be euumered as army sup
plies. Stocks, coin anil all paper used as cur
rency are taxed five pt r cent. All debts which
have been paid in Confederate money prior to
the passage of the act are taxed against the par
ty who paid them, ten to twenty per cent., ac
cording to. the date of payment. Profits in
trade and business, made since the Ist of Janu
ary. lSt>2, are taxed thirty-three per cent., with
some exceptions, and with au additional tax of
twenty-five p«fr cent, ou the excess over twen
ty-five per cent, of the profits of incorporated
and joint stock compani.s made in auy of the
year i since thq war. The income tax is sus
pended. /
AUGUSTA, GA., WEDNESDAY MORNING. JANUARY 20, 1364.
1 Fortitude —A brave man struggling with
' the storms of adverse fortune has ever been re
garded with admiration and sympathy. In the
full belief of the rectitude of his cause, and con
scious of the fortitude and firmneaS of his own
heart, he prepares fur the difficulties that may
environ him an! the enemies that may assail
him, by concenlrating all his energies of body
and mind, and strives to win success by pa
tience, diligence, and courage. The Montgom
ery Advertiser remarks thus on the bright ex
atopies of fortitude of brave and sacriticiug pa
triots who liave lived in other days :
In history we read of many men who were
finally successful alter having suffered the storms
ot adversity Uirou ilia long course of years.
Phillip of Maccdon was not always successful,
but he finally triumphed over all lrs enemies,
and his life presents many trails of character
which elevate him far fame of his
son Alexander the Great. This was the opin
ion of Cicero, and it proves that the most shi
ning actions arc not only always the most wor
thy of imitation or admiration. But perhaps
the struggles of Hubert Bruce are more striking
and patriotic than those of any other man
whose deeds liave been handed down to us by
the historian. The crown of Scotland bad been
wrested fiom his father by Edward 1., King of
England, and both father and son were taken
to London, where they were imprisoned. The
g'eat deeds of Wallace in defence of the inde-
pendence of Scotland, filed the heart of the
young prince. He escaped from prison. He
returned to Scotland. His bugle rung through
the glens and over the moors and mountains of
his own, his native laud, and he called upon the
Blue Bonnets to rally around him. He sought
the enemy everywhere, but the star ot Scotland
had fallen, and her fate seemed sealed forever.
Wallace lost the battle of Falkirk, he became
a fugitive—he was outlawed—betrayed—hang
ed, drawn and quartered. But still the young
King fought on. His army was dispersed —he
wandered from glen to glen, an I from cot to
cot, seeking to inspire his liegemen with the
spirit of resistance and defiance which animat
ed his own heart. But the foemun’s loot was
on the hearth of the homestead, and on the
heart of the people. Driven to the recesses of
the mountai is—deserted by all except a cho
sen lew—forsaken by fortune, and hunted like
a wild heist by the myrmidons of King Ed
ward. he still presented a bold front to the ene
my, and like the stag at bay. stood determined
to live or die a freeman, in his own native
wilds. Ye.irs rolled on. lfu was almost for
gotten—the tyrant was lording it over a con
quered country when suddenly the tocsin
sounded; and thousands of brave men rushing
to the standard ot the young King, implored
him to lead them against the' insolcntTue. He
marched to Bannockburn, and gained the inde
pendence of Scotland in the completes!, victory
over the English army which is recorded in
history.
The persevance and indomitable energy of
Robert Bruce in devlsting means for the expul
sion of the British troops from Scotland, should
commend tlicm-elves to our imitation. It is
individual vigilance and exertion and which
makes the sun national fortitude and intrepid
ity. If each man in the community recognizes
the dangers Avhich tlirea'en to overwhelm
and auriiliiliato his country, and resolves like
a her > to give his whole property and his
whole soul to the great and sacred cause in
which his country is involved, then we must
triumph—then our thig will once more float as
tree as the air that waits its folds over the bat
tlefield—then, like Robert Bruce, we shall be
rewarded for all our toils, for all our vigils, for
all our suffering in difense of all that man
holds most dear, iu vindication of all that wo
men love, and men adore.
Hopeful Lessons from History. —Our people
are too much disposed to yield to despondency
under temporary reverses. If they would hut
look about them, a study of the past would
show thsin striking exemplifications of the ad
age that ‘'the darkest hour is lust before day.”
The following instances collated by the Rich
mond Dispatch, should nerve us with new en
ergy and courage for the encounter with tbo
hosts of the enemy :
Read the life of Alfred IheGreat, with a map
of England open before you, and observe how
much of that country was occupied by the Danes.
Yet, after fifty great battles, he succeeded iu
recovering all that they laid occupied under tlio
vain hope th it they had conquered it. Or read
the history of Henry V. and Henry VI, of Eng
land, with the map of France open before you,
and see how much of that country was occupi
ed by the English, and how they were dispos
sessed of every inch they had conquered, ex
cept Calais. Or read the memoirs of Freder
ick the Great, with the map of Germany before
you, and see how little of his kingdom lie re
tained at one time, and liow he finally resumed
it all. Or read the history of the .fiivt Ameri
can Revolution, and notice the amount of ter
ritory held by the British armies, and how they
finally gave it all up. »Lastly, read the history
of Spain, from 1808 to 1814, with the map be
fore you. See how much of it the French over
run, what tremendous iorces they employed to
preserve their acqftiisitiorts, and how-they were
eventually compelled to abandon the whole Pe
ninsula. ,
With those examples, and they are only a
few out of scores that might be cited, who can
believe that the Yankees can hold their acqui
sitions in the South ? The thing is impossible
if Ave object to it and take the proper means to
defeat it. Subjugate a country embracing eight
hundred thousand square miles ! The veiy dis
tances are sufficient to defeat them. Ore it as
their forces may be, they are not unlimited.—
They cannot strengthen one army without
weakening another. They cannot hold our
country at once, an-* whenever they weaken
themselves at any one point, they run the risk
of defeat. They must, sooner or later, tind that
they are masters only of the ground they camp
on, and that military occupation is a very dif
ferent thing from subjugation.
A Sensible View. —The New York World in
Commenting on President Davis’ late message
takes the following sensible view of the poirk
tion of affairs :
Whoever infers from this gloomy message
that the rebels are about to give up, draws a
conclusion which events will disappoint, and
which careful reflection on the message itself
should suffice to confute. If the rebels had
any thought of surrender, they would not thus j
turn their Confederacy inside out for inspec
tion. If they considered negotiations for sub
mission within the range of possibility, it
would be I heir cue to' conceal their weakness,
in the hope of thereby obtaining more favor
able terms. These bold confessions areainong
the most painful proofs of undaunted and in
vincible determination which the rebel chiefs
have ever given.”
Confederate Tax tx Georgia.. —E. G. Ca
binees, Collector of Confederate Max in Geor
gia, furnishes the Macon Telegraph with the
annexed account of the amount , rollecti and du
ring the last four months:
For September, $486,1-58.16
October,* 863.T5A.34
November, • 2.2'35,055,-5“
December, 2,434.338,; 3
Total, $6,019,047,20
Conversation between Pi jkets.— The follow
in g compensation occurred l*?tween two op|K>- ;
si op pickets in front of Cha ;t»nooga a few days j
since: •
Yankee Picket—‘'Hallo, Bob. we are getting j
tired of this row. S'pose we put Old Abe aud
Jeff in a pen and let 'em f ght it out?”
Confederate Ticket—•< toul in’t think of it,
Yank, but I’ll tell you w hat we will do—if be
will only condescend to do it, we'll put uncle
Jeff"s carriage drirer agi .inst Old Abe, and let
the two Artisan eiiia ns of African descent
tight it out,’ - ’
The Y’ankee picket *dried up.
Capt. Ben. LajTe Po -ev. captur ed by the ene
my at Missionary Rid ge, escaped from bis cap
tore by jumpin .g 'fror.i the cars a few miles this
side of N*sh\ die, and after fourhwn days of
tramping and many hair-breadth esc.tpes, made
his way back the Confederate lines'
SoSETHINJ OCGHT TO AND XC3T EE DONE for
our suffering soldiers in the field. In Geneis;
Longstreet’s command alone, it is said that
there are thousands of soldiers half clad and
barefooted. Probably there are large nnmbeß
in the same condition in our other armies. If
these men were furr.ished with clothing to keep
them warm, and shod properly, they would be
worth three times their number of raw recruits,
"i’is a shame —nay more, ’tis a crime, that our
gillant soldiers are forced to suffer in this man
ner. If our people were only as enthusiastic
and as determined to gain their independence
at present as they were at first, these things
would not he. Now is the time for every good
man and woman who areblesse 1 wi.fi comfort
able homes to give substantial evideuees of
their humanity and patriotism.
This cold weather must also bring muck.suf
fering upon the poor in our midst. Send them
something to help them along.
LB I’ i Kit FUO.ttTUK FUO.Vr.
[SPECIAL (JOHUESPONDF.NCKCHRONICLE & SENTINEL.]
Position of Affairs —The Furloutjh System Adop
ted—7 he Commanders — Grant's Programme —
The Difficulties in his Way — Longstreet's Posi
tion— 'lhe manner in which the Ftderals are fed
at Knoxville Wheeler's late Movements — Ea-
movements of some of Grant's Troops
Measures adopted lo bring back Absentees—The
Weather,&c., dx., &c,
Dalton, Ga., Jan. 1. 1863.
AH is quiet along the lines in front. Cle
burne, the brave Irishman, i3 there, and all
will be well.
It may not he improper to state that a sys
tem of furloughs has been adopted in this ar
my, in order that those of the troops who have
not been home in a long time may enjoy that
privilege now; affording to many an opportu
nity ot seeing to the comfortable location of
their families for the winter. One man in ev
ery thirty for duty is granted a furlough.
Upon Gen. Johnston assuming command,
Gens Hardee and Cheatham iiave returned to
their respective commands. (Jen. John K. Jack,
son, who has been in command of Cheatham's
division since the departure of Gen. Bragg, has
taken charge of the brigade again. With John
ston and Hardee lo manage the army it is to be
imped that we shall be well prepared to meet
Grant anil lii3 myrmidons when he advances
next spring.
The programme laid down by Grant appears
very well in piint, but I am inclined to doubt
its final success —if our people w ill only do their
duty. The inaction of the enemy affords us
excellent opportunities to be loreanned, in view
ol tile warnings the Northern press is giving us.
An advance on Grant's part is wholly im
practicable, if not impossibly nt the present
time. His supplies and means of transportation
are too me a ;re to admit of a further march in
to the interior of Georgia.
Ilis depot of provisions is at Louisville. He
is now busily employed in laying up stores at
Chattanooga, which is to be the base of ope
rations lot tlie Spring campaign. Ho must ne
cessarily have a very large army to hope for
success, for the reason that the long line of
railroad between Nashville and Chattanooga
as well as the latti r place, will be constantly
exposed to the raids of our cavalry. .He will
be obliged to leave largo bodies of tro.nps to
guard the rear, whilst other troops will L'e re
quired to protect the wagon trains engaged in
carrying food to the army in front, from Chat
tanooga. Theso are important difficulties to
the enemy, and advantages to us, provided al
ways we improve the time.
Report places Longstreet's forces within four
teen miles of Knoxville— having possession of
the Cumberland Gap road, thereby cutting olf
the enemy’s supplies from that direction. Fed
eral commissary and other supplies are brought
to Chattanooga by rail, and from thence to
Knoxville by wagons.
Wheeler vas despatched after a wagon train
going to Knoxville from Chattanooga not long
since, but failed to capture it—regarding an
attach upon the train as impolitic, a a heavy
infantry escort attended it.
Dame Rumor says Grant has sent a great
many of his troops to .Savannah and Charles
ton, where they are to operate under Botnbas
tea Q. C. Gillinore, until the Spring birds re
joice. Our duty is to be’ prepared at all points.
Measures are still in operation to bring back
to the army all absentees, An order has been
issued calliug.for the names e£. the absent ; by
whose authority; when last heal'd from; where
they were when heard from ; ; the name of the
nearest Post Surgeon, and Enrolling officer.
This Avill enable the Comm: aiding General to
lay his hand upon every man. who is away from
his command.
The troops are all housed, now. and doing
very well. Speculators are to be found in the
army as well as oiU of'.'it. ferae soldier is cou
stantly stopping at -the-.door of my hut — I
should have said house for the boys object to
its being called SO —with .tire query, “Do you
wish to purchase some;• good "tobacco,. gents.”
“Like to buy some goobciiT this morning, or
go and ginger cakos,’’ made ou-f of molasses, wa
tet and poor Hour, with “nary sliortning.”
If you happen to pens any command than
your own, a thousand questions are put to you
in rapid succession.. “Wljat , reg ment do
you'uns belong t: >?’’ “Have you a chaw of to
bacco?” “No, but I* have soinc of the best
.rosin you ever put your teeth on.”
Self-seating envelopes are at a jiTemiumup
here. You can see the- jiinc trees well.blazed
about the camp, from whence the men abstract
rosin with which to seal'thek' letteis.
The weather has been on the fence - for the
last three days—trying* alternately to. sleet,
snow and lain, neither of which it j|ps been
able to do up to the present writing.
By the way,. what has bi'ccine of- tlie pota
toes which have, been turned;’ over to the gov
ernment lor the use of the troops? About two
pounds of potatoes are' issued to the men per
week. *'■’ '- Lorainb.
Stanton and R< Isrcb Cincinnat
Enquirer explains tbej reasonwhy-. Rosecrauz
was removed in the/fcllowjng mimicf’.p •
When Stanton tt e j&cretaty ;of War-, made
his late rapid trip fr.o’nj Washington to Louis
ville. the following incident took’ place at night
on the Indiana R? The tram on which
Stanton was travf ling was'switched tiff to al
low another to press; The Secretary was indig
nant at the delay, ahd'slipped out into tlie mud,
which exasperated him more, and 'taking the
conductor by the llroast.jie.sjiook him and de
manded his reason fpr-sfogpin g. •
The Western man dkbi t;' linderstand that
way of asking a question;.so he drew back a
heavy wire bound lamp’and'threatened to de
molish the Secretary"!f he did not lei go. One
of Stanton's clerks stepped -rip-and informed
him that the great turn he Use J bo unceremoni
ously was the Secretary .of .War, expecting to
j see him drop into ahe_ groyn'd ■ after-'su ch an
j nouncement. Bus the conductor- replied that
he didn't care a fig'wlto-heava's” .- A. tall, big
boned Hoosier brakes ma'n..’heqTiiig the conver
' sation and fearing t hist; chief, the comttglor,
would need help, stepped jip. '• ' ’
“Is your name Stantoa ?';_ .• ’•
“Yes.” replied the'tfecretairy. :
“Are you the Secretary of War ?”
“Ye*’’ •’
“Well, stranger,” replied,the brakesman, “if
you had been in such a hurry to reinforce Rose
eranz when you knew he w‘as overwhelmed by
numbers as you areto.reach Louisville, the Gen
eral would not have been checked at’ Chicka
mangfe” - ...
The Secretarv rtisfied into his car, and being
a man of small’ things; lip r«xm>ved t ßosecranz to
be revenged on the btakgjm an,
'‘ %■. . ' —^ —
Ti.mb Stoss Po£TflY.-.-The following is from
a tombstone, in a retirtft a*d shady nook, about
some twenty five miles from the ever memora
ble battle-field bf' ; Wjterlpq : ;
Hefe lies the bones of Alexander Macpher
son. He was a mdst extrapdip’ary person :
He yms Mdw *, ;
4t Waterloo ;
" The BnHet
j ;’\Vent in his Gullet,
And came out at'the back of his neck I”
An Irishman once,wrote upon a tomb:
Here lies two little children dear,
One in Ireland and the Other one her#
GEN. MORGAN’S K§ APK FROM FRIsOA.
a thbtlusq description or ms \i.ventures.
A special correspondent of the Richmond
Enquirer, writing from Danville, Va , under
date of January 2d, gives the following thrill
ing acc Hint ot Gen. Morgans &dveiiiurc3 in
making his escape from the Ohio Penitentiary :
The prison is one of the strongest, either in
this country or Europe, as I can a
personal inspection, and few men would have
the courage to attempt to get out Irom such a
pl a ,-e, even if ibeie were no other obstacle than
the walls to overcome; but when it is rc-mem
bered that there wore three lines of sentinels
to pass. Besides bull dogs, we can lint admire
the determination which could resolve, and the
fertility of res uri e which could sueeessfully
uccoinplisb such a vast, undertaking.
On the 2(«tli day of July Gen. Morgan, with
others of his officers, was taken to tl e peniten
tiary. He was first carried into the ‘‘Scouring
room - ’ and ordered to divest himseli ot 1 1 is
clothing, each article being carefully searched
.as he laid it aside. He was next ordered into a
‘’large hogshead of water and severely scrubbed
by a convict. During all this time he was sub
jected to the vulgar gaze of a large number ol
pec pie, who were attracted by curiosity to see
the “great chief.” This being over he was ta
ken into the Shaving room and required to take
a seat, and then commenced the barberizlng
process. While this was going on, Col. Cluke
and Dr. Steel came in and exclaimed in great
surprise. “Mv Heaven, General, wlmt are you
having yourself so disfigured, for?” He very
mildly and pleasantly replied: “Wait a few
moments, gentlemen, and you will see;” and
sure enough they did. From he,e lie was po
litely conducted to his : oom, which consisted
of a narrow cell, four and a half feet wide and
eight feet long. The grated door was closed,
and he now recognized his awful condition : a
prisoner in the lramls of barbarians—he who
had ever been lenient, bordering o i weakness :
lie who had time and again released their offi
cers, allowing them to retain their horses and
side arms, and even furnished their privates
with money to defray their way home, scrub
bed, shaved, and locked in a felon’s cell. Like
a true philosopher, equal to any emergency, he
met his fate cheerfully, urging his comrades till
the time to prudence and fortitude, remarking
quietly, “that their time would come; though
l.Me, it would surely come.” By his prudence
and amiable deportment, he so won the good
feeling of some of the subaltern attendants that
they were disposed to treat him kindly and do
small favors for him. Alter a few days of sol
itary confinement, ho and his officers were al
lowed to walk in the passage way, on which
their ceils opened.
The cells consisted of two long rows of holes
in the walls, one over the other. They opened
into a passageway, twelve feet wide and ninety
feet long. Every morning at six o’clock, they
were turned into the passageway and allowed
to communicate with each other, and at four
o’c’ock were again locked up. Immediately
on the outside of the wing of the building in
which they were confined, was a wall twenty
feet high, separating them from the female de
partment, and on tne outside of this depart
ment was another wall, thirty-five feet high,
with a large over-hang upon which the senti
nels walked their beat. On the ground, be
tween the inner ahd outer wall, a chain of
sentinel? was distributed, another on the outer
wall during tlio day, but at night were trans
ferred to the ground on the outside. Last, and
most difficult to elude, was the sentinel who
entered the piison at all times during the and >y,
and at stated intervals of two hours during the
night, to see that everything was going on well.
When the determination to escape at all haz
ards was fixed upon, the first thing was to get
hold of some implements to work with. So
the General got sick and was obliged to have
his meals brought to him in his room and 'at
convenient opportunities his plate went back
minus a ease-knife. When a sufficient number
had thus been procured, his biave comrades
went to work. Separate holes.had to be made,
j>.H they were confined in separate ceils. Their
bedsteads were smalt iron stools fastened to
the wail with hinges. They could be hooked
up or allowed to staqd on the floor; and to
prevent any suspicion, for several days before
any work was attempted, they mad ; it a habit
to let them down and sit at their doors and
read. Captain Hines superintended the work,
while General Morgan kept watch to divert the
attention of the sentinel whose duty it was to
come around during the day and observe if
anything was going on. One day tills fellow
came in while Ilokersmith was down under the
flo r boring away, and missed him, said :
“ Where is llokeismith?” ’I he General repli
ed, “ He is in my room sick,” and immediate
ly pulled a document out of his pocket and
said to him: “Here is a memorial I have
drawn up to forward to the Government at
Washington—what do you think of it?” The
fellow, who, perhaps could not read, being
highly flattered at the General's condescension,
took it and very gravely looked at it for sev
eral momenta before he vouchsafed any reply.
Then handing it back, lie expressed himself
highly pleased with it. In the meantime,
Hoke,smith had been signalled and came up,
professing to feel “ very unwell.” 'This senti
nel was the most difficult and dangerous ob
stacle iu their progress, because there was no
telling at w hat time he would enter dnriug the
day, at night lie came regularly every two
hours to each cell, and inserted a light through
tlie bars of their door to see that, they were
quietly and frequently after lie had
completed his iomuls, he would slip back in
the dark with a pair of India rubber shoe-son,
•to listen at their cells if anything was going
on. Tlie General says that he would almost
invariably know of his presence by a certain
magnetic shudder which it would produce ;
but for fear that this acute sensibility might
sometimes fail him, he broke up small pai ti
des of coal every morning and sprinkled it lie
fore the cell door, which would always an
nounce his coming.
Everything was now ready to begin the
work. So, about tlie latter part of October,
they commenced to bore. All were busy—one
making a rope ladder by tearing and -twisting
up strips of bed-tick, another making bowie
knives, and another'twisting up towels. 'lhey
labored perseveringly for several days; and
after boring through nine inches of cement,
and nine thicknesses of brick placed edge-'
wise, tin y began to wonder when they should
reach the soft earth. Suddenly a brick lei 1
through. A chamber had been reached. It
was immediately entered, and, to their great
astonishment and joy, it proved to be'an ante
chamber extending the whole length of the row
of cells. Here was an unexpected interposi
tion in their favor. Hitherto tlfey had been
obliged to conceal their rubbish in their In d
ticks, each day burning a proportionate quan
tity of straw; now they had room enough for
all they could dig. r I hey at once commenced
to tunnel at right angles with this ati'e-cliatn
ber, to get through the foundation; and dav
after day they bored, day after day tiie blocks
ol granite were removed, and still the work
before them seemed interminable.
After twenty-three days of unremitcing
labor and getting through a granile wall of six
feet in thickness, they reached the soil. They
tunneled up for some distance, and Vglit began
to shine. This was the morning ot the 10th
day ot November, 1863. The next night at
twelve o clock, was determined on as the hour
at which they would attempt their liberty.
Each moment that intervened was Idled with
dreadful anxiety and suspense,,and, each time
the guard entered increased their apprehen
sions. Jhe General says he had prayed for
rain, but the morning of the 27th dawned
br.ghtand beautiful. The evening came, and
clouds began to gather. If rain should only
begin their chances of detection would be
greatly lessened. While these thoughts were
passing through their minds the keeper enter
ed with a letter far Gen. Morgan. He opened
it, and what was his surprise, and I may say
wonder, to find it to be from a poor liish wo
man ot his acquaintance, in Kentucky, com
mencing, “My dear Ginral. I feel certain you
are going to try to git out of prison, hut for
your sake don’t you try ir, my dear Ginral.
You will only he taken prisoner again, and
made to suffer worse than you do now.’ 7 The
letter then went on to speak of his kindness to
the poor when he lived at Lexington, and con
cluding by again exhorting him to trust in
God and wait his time. What could this
mean? No human being on the outside had
been informed of his attention to escape, aud
yet just as all things were ready lor him to
make the attempt here comes a letter trorn
Winchester, Kentucky, advising him not to
••try it.” This letter had passed through the
VOL. LXXVIII. —NEW SERIES VOL. XXVHI, 0. 3
! examining office of General Mason, and then
| through the hands of the lowe.r officials. Vt hat
I it it should excite their suspicion and cause
j them to exercise an increased vigilance. Their
! situation, however, wr.s desperate. Their fate
could not be much worse, and they resolved
to go.
Nothing now remained lo be done, lent for
the General and Col. Dick Morgan to change
cells. The hour approached for them to tie
: locked up. They changed coats, and each
; stood at the other’s cell door, with his back
: exposed, and pretended to be engaged in mak
ing up their beds. As the turnkey entered,
they “turned in" and pulled their doors shut.
Six, eirrlit, ten o'clock came, llow each pulse
throbbed as they quietly awaited the approach
of twelve! It came; tire sentinel passer! his
round—all wqjl. After wailing a lew moments
to see if he intended to slip back, the signal
was given—all quietly slipped down into the
air chamber, first stuffing their flannel shirts
and placing them in bed as they were accus
tomed lo lie, As they moved quietly along
through the dark recess to the terminus where
they were to emerge from the earth, the Gene
ral prepared to light a match. As the lurid
glare fell upon their countenances, a fecnv was
presented which can never lie forgotten. TUtere
wer# crouched seven brave men, who had re
solved to he free. They were armed with
bowie knives made out of case knives. Life
in. their condition was scat cely to he desired,
and the moment for the desperate chance had
arrivi and. Suppose, as they emerged from the
ground, that the dog should give ihe alarm—
they eouhl but die.
But few moments were spent in this kind of
apprehension. The hour had arrived, out they
came. Fortunately, yes, providentially, the
night had suddenly grown dark and rainy ;
the dogs had retired to their kennels and the
sentinels had taken refuge under shelter. The
inner well, by the aid of the rope ladder, was
soon scaled, anil now the outer one had to he
attempted. Capt. Taylor—who, by the way’,is
a nephew of old Z rck —being a very active
man, by the assistance of his comrades, reach
ed the top of the gate, aud was enabled to get
the rope over the wall. When the top was
gained, they found a rope extending ail around,
which the General immediately cut, as lie sus
pected that it might lead into the warden’s
room. This turned out to be correct. They
then entered the sentry box on the wall and
changed their clothes, anil let thernsi lvcs down
the wall. In sliding down the General skinned
bis hand very badly, and all were more or
less bruised. Once down, they separated
Taylor and Shelton going One way, linker
smith, Bennett and McGee another, and Gen
M. and Capt. Hines proceeding immediately
towards the depot. The General had, by pay
ing fifteen dollars in gold, succeeded in obtain
ing a paper which informed him of the schedule
time of the different roads. The clock struck
one, and lie knew by l urrying he could reach
the down train for Cincinnati, He at once
looked out to see if there were any soldiers on
board and spying a Federal officer, he boldly
wa'ked up and took a seat beside him. He re
marked to him that, “astho night was damp
and chilly, perhaps he would join him in a
drink.” He did so, and the party-soon be
came very agreeable to each other. The cars
in crossing the Scioto have to pass within a
short distance of the Penitentiary. As they
passed, the officer remarked, “There’s the
hotel at which Morgan and his officers are
spending their leisure,” “Yes,” replied the
General, “and I sincerely hope he will make
up his miud to board there during the balance
of the war, for he is a great nuisance.”
When the train leached Zenia it was detained
by some accident more than an hour. Imagine
bis anxiety as soldier after soldier would pass
through the train, for feir that when tho senti
nel passed his round at two o'clock, their ab
sence might be discovered. The train was due
in Cincinnati at six o’clock. This was the hour
at which they were turned out of their cells,
anil of course their escape would be then dis
covered. In a few moments alter It Would he
known all over the country. The train, Inly
ing been detained at Zenia, won running very
rapidly to m ike up the time. It was already
past six o’clock. The General said to Captain
llines: “It is after six; if we go to (he depot
we are dead men. Now or never!” They went
to tlie rear and put ou tlie breaks. “Jump,
Hines! ’ Off he went, and fell heels over head
in the mud. Another severe turn of the break,
and the General jumped. He was more suc
cessful, and lighted ,o ) his foot. There were
some soldiers near, who remarked : “What do
you men mean by jumping off' the cars here V
The General replied : “Wliat is the use of my
going into town when I jive here; and besides,
what business is it of yours?”
They went immediately to the river. They
found a skiff, but no oars. Soon a little boy
cmie over, and appeared to be waiting. “What
are you wailing for?” said the General. “I am
waiting f(p my load.” “What is the price of a
load?” “Two dollars.” “Well, as we are tired
anil hungry, wo will give you tiie two dollars,
and you can put us over.” So, over betook
ihem. “Where does Miss live?” “Just
a short distance from here.” “Will you show
me her house?” “Yes s r.” The house was
reached; a tiue breakfast was soon .obtained,
mouey and horse furnished. A good woman’s
prayer bestowed, and off' he went. From there
forward through Kentucky, everybody vied
with each other as to who should show him the
most attention, even to the negroes. lie re
mained in Kentucky some days, feeling per
fectly safe, and sending into Louisville for
many little tilings he wanted. Went to Bards
town, and found a Federal regiment had just
arrived there, looking for him. Remained here
and about for three or four days, and thenstruck
out for Dixie, sometimes disguising hhnsell as
a Government cattle contractor, and buying
Jaige lots of cattle; at other times as Quarter
master, until lie got to the Tennessee river.
Here he found all nler.ns of transportation
destroyed and tlie banks strongly guarded; but
with the assistance of about thirty others, who
had recognized him, and joined him in spite
of his remonstrances, he succeeded in making
a raft, and he and Capt. Iliues crossed over.
His escort, with heroic self-sacrifice, refused to
cross until he was safely over. He then hired
a negro to get his horse over. The river was
so high that the horse came near drowning,
and after more than one hour’s smuggling with
the stream, was pulled out so exhausted #s
scarcely to be able to stand. The General
threw a blanket on him and commenced to
walk him, when suddenly, he says, he was
seized with a presentiment that he would be
attacked, and remarking to Captain Hines,
“We will be attacked in twenty minutes,” com
menced saddling his horse. lie had hardly tied
his girth when “bang, bang,” went the minnie
halls, lie bounced his horse and bounded off
up the mountain. The last he saw.’of bis poor
fellows ou the opposite side, they wefe disap
pearing up the river bank, fired upon I y a
whole regiment of Yankees. By this time it
was dark and also raining. He knew that a
perfect cordon of pickets would surround the
foot of the mountain, and if he remained
there until morning 1& would be shot. So ho
determined to run the gauntlet at once, and
commenced to descend. As lie neared tlie foot,
leading his horse, he came almost in personal
contact with a picket. His first impulse was
to kill him, but finding him asleep lie deter
mined to let him sleep on. He made his way
. to the house of a Union man that he knew
lived near there, and-went up and passed him
self off as Captain Quartermaster of Hunt’s
regiment, who was on his way to Athens, lenn.,
lo procure supplies of sugar and coffee for the
Union people aif that county. The lady, who
appeared to be asleep, while this interview
was hiking place with her husband, at the
mention of sugar and coffee, jumped out ot
bed in her night clothes, and said: ThariX
God for that, for we aint seen any ra c coffee
up here for God knows how long. She was
so delighted at the prospect that she made up
a fire and cooked them a good supper Suppei
bein'* over, the General remarked that he un
der food some rebels had "tried to cross the
river this afternoon. “V es, saidtne won .
“but our men killed some un um,-and dnv th.
rest back ” “Now.” says the G neral, ' I
know Thai; but didn’t some of them get over
“Yes ' was her reply, “hut they are on the
mountain, and. can t get down without being
killed as every road is stopped up. It is
very important for me to get to Athens by U>
moreow night or X may lose that sugar and
coffee and lam afraid to go down any of these
oD’fnr fear inv own men will kill me.
The feir of losing that sugar and coffee brought
j ~e r aea iu to an accommodating mood, and she
replied : "Why Paul, han’t you show the Cap
tain through our farm that road down by the
field ” 'J he General says, “Os couise, I au),
you can do it, arid as the night is Very cold, I
will give you ten dollars in gold to help you
along." The gold and the prospect oi sugar
and coffee was too much for any poor man’s
nerves and he yielded, and getting on a liovsee
he took them seven miles to the big road.
From this time forwaul lie had a series of ad
ventures and escapes, all very wonderful, until
he got near an’other river in Tennessee, when
he resolved to co up to a house and find the
way. Ilines went to the house, while the
General stood in the road. Hearing a body of
cavalry come dashing up behind him, lie quiet
ly slipped to one side ot the road anil it passed
by vt it hunt observing him. They vent yelling
after Ilines, and, poor fellow, lie has not been
heard of since, llow sad to think that he
should either lie captured or killed alter so
many brave efforts, not only in his own belialt,
but also that of t-heGener.il, for. the General
says that, it is owing chiefly to Mines’ enter
prise and skill that they made their escape.
When lie arrived lit the river referred to
above, he tried to get over, intending to stop
that night with a Southern man on the other
side. He could not get over, and had to re
main at the house of a l niun man. iiie next
morning .he went to the house that he had
sought iiie night previous, and found the track
of the Yankees scarcely cold. They lord been
there all night expecting he would come there,
and had murdered everybody who hail at
tempted to reach tie house without halting
them. 111 pursuing this brutal course, they
had killed three young men, neighbors of this
gentleman, and went away leaving their dead
bodies 011 the ground.
After lie had crossed Obey’s river, and got
VJovvn into Middle Tenneesee, he found it al
; asost impossible to avoid recognition. At one
ticie he passed some poor women, and one of
lire;;! commenced clapping her hands and said,
“(*, I know who that is ; I know who that
vs’’’but catching herself, site stopped short
aud passed on with her companions. -
The General says that Ids escape was made
ent irelv without (lie assistance from any one on
the outside, and, so far as be knows, also with
out their knowledge oil his intention ; that the
annoi:.ncemeiit of bis arri val at Toronto, was
one of those fortuitous coincidences that can
not be accounted for ; that it assb/ed him ma
terially. no doubt.
The above account may be relief on as .cor
rect—and, although much has been left out, 1
yet enough is printed to stamp it as one of the
most remarkable escapes in history.
Charles La-mb's Eccentricities —Charles
Lamb is cosily dnmesticated by the heart's fire
side of bis readers. -
S ich wit, such humor, such imagination, such
intelligence, such sentiment, such kindlines, such
heroism, all so quaintly mixed and mingled,
and stuttering out in so freakish a fashion, ahd
all blending so finely in that exquisite eccentric
something which we call the character of Char
les Lamb, make him the most lovable of wri
ters and men. His essays, the gossip of crea
tive genius, are of a piece with the records of
his life and conversation. Whether saluting
his copy of Chapman’s “Homer” witli a kiss,
or saying a grace before reading Milton—or
going to the theatre to see bis farce acted, and
joining in the hisses ol tiie pit when it latis—
or sagely wondering if the Ogles of Somerset
were not descendants of King Lear—or telling
Barry Cornwall not to invito a lugubrious gen
tleman to dinner because bis face would cast a
damp over a funeral—or giving as a reason
why he did not leave off smoking, the difficul
ty of finding an equivalent vice, or striking
into a hot, controversy between Coleridge
and Holcrpft, as to whether man as he is, or
man as he is to be, is preferable, and settling
tlie dispute by saying, “Give me man as heis
not to bo”—or dt.iug some deed of kindness
and love, with teats in his eyes and a pun ou
his lips—lie.is always the same dear, strange,
delightful companion and friend. He is never
—the rogue—Avithout a scrap of logic to as
tound common sense “Mr. Lamb,” says the
bead clerk at the India House, “you emu. down
very late in the morn?” “Yes, Sir,” Mr. Lamb
replies, “but then you know I go home very
early in the afternoon.” And then with what
htiinoious extravagance he expresses his peev
ishness at being confined to such woik— with
curious ingenuity running his malediction on
commerce all along its linos of influence. “Con
tusion blast all mercantile transactions, all
traffic, exchange of commodities, intercourse
between nations, all the c.iusequentcivilization
tion, and w, aitli, and amity, and link of soci
ety, and getting rid of prejudices, and knowl
edge of the face of the globe ; and rot all the
firs of tlie forest, that look so romantic alive,
and <lie into desks.” It is impossible to cheat
this frolicsome humorist with any pretence,
any exaggerated sentiment, anyjof the do-me
goodisSis of well meaning moral feebleness.—■
A lady sends him “Coelebs in Search of a
Wife,” for bis perusal and guidance. He re
turns it, with this quatrain wiitten on a fly
leaf, expressing|the|sliglit disagreemenljhetween
his views of matrimony and those entertained
by Miss Hannah More :,
“If ever I many a wife,
I’ll marry a landlord’s daughter,
And sit in tlie bar all day
And drink cold brandy and water.”
If he thus slips out of controversy, by mak
ing the broadest absurdities the vehicle of the
finest insight, his sense and enjoyment of ab
surdities in others rises to rapture. The non
sensical ingenuity of the pamphlet in which
his friend, Capol Loflit,’took the ground that
Napoleon, while iu tiie hands of the English,
might sue out a writ of habeas corpus , threw
him into ecstacies. And not only has he quq s
and quirks and twisted words lor all lie secs
and feels, but, he has the pleasantest art of
making his very maladies interesting by trans
muting them into jests. Out of the darkest
depths of the “dismals” fly some of his hap
piest conceits. “My bedfellows.” he writes to
Wordsworth, “are cough and cramp. Wesleep
three in a bed.” *
“How is it.” he saj'S, “that I cannot get lid
of this cold ? It can’t be from a lack of care.
I have studiously been out all these rainy nights
until twelve o’clock, have had my feet wet con
stantly, drank copiously of brandy to allay in
flammation, and done every thing else t* cure it
and yet it won’t* depart”—a sage decision,
worthy of that illustrious physician wfco told
his patient that if he had no serious drawbacks
he would probably be worse in a week. To
crown all, and to make the character perfect
in its winning contradictions, there bi ats be
ueath the fantastic covering and incalculable
caprices of the liumoiist the best heart in tlie
world, capable ol courtesy, of friendship, of
love, of heroic self-devotion and uuostentious
sell-sscrillce.
Press Copyright. —Col. Thrasher, Superin
tendent of the Associated Press, sends us a
priuted letter to the Hon. Lucius J. Gartrell,
from which we learn that a movement lias been
set on toot in the House to exclude the press
reports from the benefits of copyright. Al
though tliis is new, it is scarcely surprising, for
the copyright was a, fell blow, to some of that
numerous class of mortals who cannot distin
guish between meum and luum, and wish to
speculate and fatten on other people's proper
ty. Col. Thrasher has correctly and plainly
stated the whole case in his letter to Mr. Gar
trell. and we should he doing the Confedera.e
House of Representatives gross I'.juslice to
sar.ssffsrs -sssKS&
&ZtoSSTJShT ofth e e ffiiflyprei 1 '
and itsexclusimia are only such as aremecessa
rv to confine its operations to a Ugitimate
sphere and prevent the news from being made
valueless to its members, and its members from
preying upon each other. To say that its news
mavbe published outs.de a daily pi ess-posted in
public houses, clubrooms and barber shops, or
printed in circulars, is to say that the daily
press sHStI cease to exist, and to use its labor,
enterprise and capital as a weapon to break its
head. To deny copyright, would he to refuse
protection to the only extensive investment in
the way of literary labor in the whoU country,
while it is cheerfully conceded to tlnMuthor of
a love story, a song book or a piimer. The
st itement of the superintendent will place Con
gress in possession of the facts, and beyond
them we really cannot think there is any ne
cessity for saying m ;ie. —Macon Telegraph.
Mr. Moses Wright, a citizen of Cherokee coun
ty, Alabama, now iu the Confederate army, lias
donated one thousand bushels of cairn to he dis
tributed among the indigent families who live
in six m les of his residerce, according to the
necessities of each family.
Revolution in Naval Artillery.—Thu
great gun, which has been for some months in
course of construction for the Federal navy
by- Mr.. John Ericsson, reached New York a
few days ago, and is now at one of the iron
works, Wing prepared for service. It is one of
the most marvellous inventions of the tiffie,
and, if successful, will revolutionize naval ord
nance. Mr. Ericsson contracted, some time
since, to construct some thirteen smooth bore
guns, which are to have a much greater initial
velocity than any now in use. He is to receive
notiiing for them unless they burn over titty
pounds of powder; for every pound of powder
beyond titty, Mr. Ericsson is to receive si>ooo.
lie is confident of being able to burn one hun
dred pounds, and is certain of burning seventv
tiv«; pounds. The solid shot will weigh 220
pounds.
The English sixty-eight pounders (of 12.500
pounds,) said by his royal highness the Duke
of Cambridge to be the most powerful gun in
tiie English service, withs ixteen pounds of
powder—nearly one-fourth of the charge- has
an initial velocity <sf INOO feet per second: and
therefore a punching power against iron plates
of 27.500,000 pouuds. The rilled guns, with
charges of one-tenth ■to one-twelfih of tiro
shot, and the fifteen-inch gun, with charge of
thirty five pounds to its shot of 425 pounds,
have velocities varying from 1200 to 1400 feet
per second. Tiie 300-pounder Parrot has,
therefore, a punching power of 42,000,000
pounds, and the fifteen-inch gun of 55,500,100
pounds. The new gun, with seventy-live
pounds charge—one third of the weight—will
have as great a velocity as the sixty-eight
pounder, and its punching power will be 65,-
000.000 pounds, or exactly double that of the
English gun. With 100 pounds of powder its
velocity should be raised to 2000 feet, and its
punching power will be (18,000,000 pounds. It
will thus lie by fay the most formidable gun
yet constructed. The great superiority of Out
new guns to those in nse by foreign powers
will readily be noticed. — N. Y. Paper.
eOXFEDEUATK STATES GONURESS.
SENATE —JAN. 4.
The followm" resolution was adopted:
Resolved/That the of
lay before the Senate a statement allowing tne
amount of property and credits that liave been
taken possession of under the laws of seques
tration and confiscation: what amount is in
judgment, unsold and uncollected; what
amount in money has been realized in the sev
eral States of the Gonlederacy and paid into
the Treasury; where the balance, if any, which,
being collected by the vaiious receivers, has
not yet been paid into the Treasury, and what
is the amount of proper.y and creditß still in
litigation, ami where such litigation is pending.
Ihe memorial of a number of Dental Sur
geons (Jf ten years’ practice, asking exemption
from military service, was referred.
The Committee on Military Affairs reported
back adversely the resolution for the appoint
ment of Chaplains for battalions in the army.
Laid on the table.
The Judiciary COuimittcff reported back tho
bill to provide for the auditing and payment cf
certain claims in the State of Mississippi, ivith
a recommendation that it pass.
The same committee reported back with an
amendment the House bill to prohibit dealing
in tlie paper currency of the enemy.
The Senate went into executive session.
HOUSE.
Tlie Speaker announced the joint resolutions
from tlie Senate of thanks to Gen. li. E. Lea
and officers and soldiers of his command. Tho
rules were suspended and tho resolutions passed,
unanimously.
A bill was introduced to repeal certain ex
emptions from military duty now itllowod by
law, of persons between the ages of 18 and 45
years, and excepting exemptions for disability,
and persons holding office in or under Uio Con
federate and State Governments, or employed
in State Ordn-jniw Departments, Ministers of
the Gospel, and State troops, as now allowed
by law.
Tlie Military Committee reported a bill to Ixi
entitled “An Act repealing and regulating fu
ture exemptions from military service.” The
bill was made tlie special order for every other
morning until disposed of.
The following joint resolutions were, after
some discussion, referred to a select Com
mittee :
Resolved by tho Congress of tlio Confederata
States, That the present is deemed a fitting oc
casion to remind the. people of tho Confederata
States that they are engaged in a struggle for
the preservation, both of liberty and civiliza
tion, and no sacrifices of life or fortune can ba
too costly which may be requisite to secure to
themselves and their posterity the enjoyment
of theso inappreciable blessings, and also to
assure them that, in the judgment of this Con
gress, tlie resources of the country, if develop
ed with energy, husbanded with care, and ap
plied witli fidelity, are more than sufficient to
support the most protracted war which can bo
necessary to wage for our independence ; and
to exhort them, by every consideration whiih
can influence freemen anil patriots to a mag
nanimous surrender of all personal and party
feuds ; to giro an indignant rebuke to every
exliib tion of factious temper in whatever
quarter or upon whatever pretext it may be
made ; to a generous support of all branches
of the Government in the legitimate exercise
of their constitutional powers; and to that
harmonious, unselfish and patriotic co-opera
tion which can alone impart to our causa
tlie irresistible strength which springs from
Ull ted couiiseis, li'turißUl JCfUHgK, ttlltl lCiYoup
devotion to the public weal.
The House went into secret session on tho
special order, which was tbo report of tha
special Ci mmittee on the currency.
SENATE—JAN. 5.
A bill was passed declaring lhaf the farmer
and planter is not required to puy to the Gov- •
eminent one tenth of his straw of wheat, rye,
oats, rice or barley, or of tlie shucks or stalks of
his cornjcrop.
Joint resolutions of thanks to Major \an
Borck, of Prussia, Adjutant and Inspector
General of the cavalry of the army ot North
ern Virginia, were adopted.
’The Judiciary Committee reported back ad
versely the bill to prevent hoarding, specula
tion and extortion by persons capable of rnili
tary duty. Ordered printed.
The same committee, reported back, with tha
recommendation tha'. it pass, the bill to pro
vide a mode of auditing and authenticating
claims against the Government. The bill was
placed upon tlie calendar.
Tlie Committee of Finance was instructed to
enquire into the expediency ot repealing tha
clause of the assessment act which requires
Assessors to be over forty-five years of age.
A bill was introduced and referred to autho
rize the issue of ci rtain bonds for payment to
the Alabama and Florida Railroad.
After secret session, tlie Senate resumed con
sideration of the hill of the Military Commit
tee to organize forces to serve during the war.
Oii motion it was postponed to the following
day, an.l made the special order for halt-put*
12 o’clock.
HOUSE.
The Military Committee reported a bill to in
crease the efficiency of the army by employing
negroes, free and slave, iu the army in ceilain
capacities, such as wagoners, cooks and nuisea
and attendants at the hospitals, &c. Ordered
printed and placed on the calendar.
The bill proposing to conscribe and put into
the military service Marylanders and other cit
izens of the United Static, and foreigners, was
taken up. After some di-cussion cn the bill,
the House went into secret session.
senate—-Jan. C.
The following resolution was adopted :
Resolved, That the Committee of Military
Affairs inquire into the expeciency of an act to
reform the system of enrollments, and particu
larly of an act to fix some limitation ugon the
class of persons, or officers, who may tie ap
pointed or assigned to positions of enrolling of
ficers, and to prescribe by whom to be selected
or assigned, and to limit the length of time
during which any such officer shall he allowed
to serve over one and the same district, county
or heat, and establi.-Ji some rule or regulation
by which an inspector of enrolling distr eta
may be appointed lor separate States or sections,
and regulations by which such em oiling officers
shall ho restricted in the number of men placed
in their provost guard.
A bill was introduced to suspend tlie writ or
habeas corpus in all cases involving the right
of the government to require military serrico
from all persons who have furnished substitute!